Handle device



March 28, 1967 w fwoon ETAL 3,311,252

HANDLE DEvicE Filed Aug. 14, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet l H j INVENTORS BRA Y. SWARTWOOD RUDOLPH A. SAMPSON f 3 51a- B if ATTQRNIS March 28, 1967 L w -rwoop ET AL 3,311,252

HANDLE DEVICE Filed Aug. 14, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS @RA T. SWARTWOOD BY RUDOLP March 28, 1967 L SWARTWQOD ET AL 3,311,252

HANDLE DEVICE Filed Aug. 14, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 E INVENTORS ERA T. SWARTWOOD BY RUDOk PH A. SAMPSON March 28, 1967 l. T. SWARTWOOD ET AL 3,311,252

HANDLE DEVICE File Aug- 1 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IOC Fig. /0

INVENTORS BRA T. SWARTWOOD BY RUDOLPH A. SAMPSON United States Patent 3,311,252 HANDLE DEVICE Ira T. Swartwood, 548 Edinborough Drive, Bay Village,

Ohio 44140, and Rudolph A. Sampson, 191 Housington Oval, Rocky River, Ohio 44116 Filed Aug. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 389,812 4 Claims. (Cl. 215100) This invention relates to handles for containers which are adapted for dispensing liquid, such as milk, in half gallon and larger sizes.

Containers which have heretofore been used for bolding liquid in quantities exceeding a quart have usually embodied glass receptacles which are provided with a neck portion and a bumper roll portion adjacent the top. To facilitate handling of the filled containers a handle has been devised of plastomeric material which when molded as a unitary structure has a band which is adapted to encircle the neck of the container beneath the bumper roll and has a lifting portion in the nature of arms which extend outwardly from the band and are connected together at their ends. This provides a bail having a finger grip portion by means of which the container may be carried.

Heretofore, the bands of the aforesaid handles have been circular in form and have been smaller on the inside diameter than the outside diameter of the bumper roll, with the result that difiiculty has been experienced in forcing the band down over the roll. The band is normally relatively inextensible, hence to apply it to a container, the practice has been to soak it in hot water for a sufficient length of time to enable it to be stretched over the bumper roll. Such procedure requires considerable expenditure of time and manual labor.

To expedite the attachment of such handles to containers, special appliances have been devised, which mechanically force the band downwardly over the bumper roll in somewhat the manner in which a tire is progressively forced onto the rim of an automobile wheel.

A further factor in the construction of a handle as aforesaid is the fact that if the band engages the neck of the container with sulficient degree of tightness to prevent accidental detachment while the container is being carried, it is apt to be so tight as to prevent adequate cleansing between the band and container in the bottle washing machine' This factor is enhanced by the differences in neck diameter within the tolerances which are practical for the manufacture of containers.

One of the objects of the present invention is to make a handle of elastomeric material having a band and finger grip structure which will possess the desired degree of safety during the carrying operation, and yet will enable the band to be readily positioned over the rim of the container with greater facility and speed than has heretofore been experienced. Additionally, an object is to make a handle which will operate satisfactorily on containers which are slightly smaller in neck diameter than previous containers.

A further object is to provide a handle having the aforesaid advantages and also having the advantage of providing adequate space between the band and the neck of the container to assure adequate fiushing of foreign material from the space between the band and the container during the washing operation.

An additional object is to provide a handle which normally lies near the container so as to remain within the confines of the bottle washer pocket, and yet is capable of being raised above the top of the container with sufficient space for the fingers to enable the container to be carried in upright position. Moreover, it is an object of the invention to utilize elastomeric material by means of which the handle will automatically resume normal position when released.

Briefly, the foregoing objects are carried out by utilizing a band of elastomeric material which has a finger gripping portion preferably formed integrally therewith. The material provides a single unitary structure wherein the finger grip portion is in the form of a bail having arms which are connected to the band and a connecting portion at the ends of the arms, the latter of which provides a finger grip member. Normally, the finger grip portion extends outwardly from the band and below the upper surface thereof, but is adapted to be swung upwardly to upright position when grasped for the purpose of lifting the container. Upon release, the finger grip portion returns to the normal position. The band has inwardly extending spaced portions for engaging the neck of the container, and such projections assume various shapes as will be hereinafter set forth and for the purpose as will hereinafter be described.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a container handle embodying one form of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation with the handle shown in normal and in carrying position;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view showing the handle in carrying position;

FIGS, 4 and 5 are sections taken on the correspondingly numbered lines in FIGS. 1 and 3, respectively;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a modified form of handle;

FIG. 7 is a section taken on the line 77 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a further modified form of handle;

FIG. 9 is a section taken on the line 9-9 in FIG. 8;

Fl-G. 10 is a top plan view of another modified form of handle; and

FIG. 11 is a section taken on the line 1111 in FIG. 10.

In the drawings, 10 indicates a band of elastomeric material which in the preferred form embodies polyethylene. Such material is available upon the market and is formula 610M and is sold by the Dow Chemical Company. Another source of material is known as Tenite No. 853 and is sold by the Tennessee Eastman Company.

in the preferred form, the band comprises a ring which is adapted to encircle the neck of a bottle below the bumper roll indicated at 11 on the container 12. In FIG. 1, arms 15 and 16 extend from and are carried by the band and are connected at their outer ends by a cross piece 17, which forms a finger grip surface, by means of which the container may be lifted and carried. In the preferred form, the bands and arm are molded integrally with the band.

Normally, the finger grip portion extends laterally from the band and lies beneath the top portion of the band in sufiiciently close proximity to the container to lie within the confines of a bottle pocket in a bottle washing machine. Whenever the finger grip portion, however, is grasped and lifted the arms will move to an upright position as shown in lines 24 in FIG. 2, thus enabling the container to be readily carried in upright position. The nature of the material used in the construction of the handle and the formation thereof is such that whenever the finger grip portion is released, the arms return automatically to the lower normal position as shown by the full lines in FIG. 2.

To facilitate attachment of the band to the container and yet to possess the desired degree of safety in retention of the handle on the container, we provide spaced portions on the band which are adapted to engage the neck of the container in close fitting relationship. Such projections may assume various forms as shown in the accompanying drawings. Thus, in FIG. 1 the projections are indicated at 25 and 26 as extending radially inwardly from the band and as being preferably disposed in the immediate proximity of the points of connection between the arms and the band. The projections arepreferably shaped to conform to the diameter of the neck of the container beneath the bumper roll and preferably to have a close fitting engagement therewith.

The inside diameter of the band intermediate the pro jections 25 and 26, as indicated on line 27, is larger than the outside diameter of the container neck beneath the bumper roll, but is less than the outside diameter of the bumper roll. We have found, for example, that satisfactory results may be obtained where the inside diameter of the projections is one-eighth of an inch smaller than the outside diameter of the bottle directly below the bumper roll, and where the inside diameter of the bandas measured in the space between the projectionsis one-eighth inch smaller than the outside diameter of the bumper roll. The foregoing dimensions are given as those at the top of the hand because preferably the inside wall of the band is tapered about 8 degrees to facilitate application of the band to the container.

One of the advantages resulting from the use of projecting portions is that as the handle is raised after the band has been applied to the container, the band is slightly distorted and that the projecting portions are thereby forced inwardly automatically to grip the neck of the container more. firmly, and thus assure greater safety in carrying a filled container. Such distorted condition is illustrated in FIG. 3, where the distance indicated at 13 is greater than the distance indicated at 14.

The modifications of FIGS. 6 and 7 show a band Elfin which is frusto-conical in form and has projections 25a and 26a which form a continuation of the walls of the band. The intermediate portions, indicated at 30 and 31, lie below the top surface of the projections 25a and 26a. The projections of this modification also provide ease of application and good gripping capabilities.

The modification of FIGS. 8 and 9 embodies a ring type band 10B with spaced projections 25B and 25C extending radially inwardly therefrom. In this modification, four projections are shown, 2513 and 25C being disposed at the points of connections of the handle arms to the band and 25D and 25E being disposed midway therebetween.

In the modification of FIGS. 10 and 11 four projections are shown on the band 10C, one pair of which is indicated at 25F and 25G and another pair at 25H and 25], respectively. In this form, the projections 25F and 256 are adjacent to the points of connection between the arms and the band, while the remaining projections are equally spaced therebetween.

One pair of the projections in the modifications of FIGS. 8 and 10 provide the gripping action against the neck of a bottle when the bottle is lifted by the handle. The remaining pair of projections do not grip the neck of the bottle when the bottle is lifted. InsteadQthey serve to stabilize the band on the neck of the bottle when the bail is in the normal position. Additionally, they serve to strengthen the band so as to enable it to more readily withstand the lifting stresses. FIG. 3 shows how the band acquires a somewhat elliptical shape whenever the handle is lifted. At such time, the projections nearest to the points of attachment of the bail arms to the band are urged in a wedging action against the neck of the bottle, whereas the projections remote from such points of attachment are urged away from the neck of the bottle. This allows the band to flex sufliciently and thereby to achieve the desired increase of gripping acti'on. Such flexing is shown by the dotted lines 21 in FIG. 2.

In all of the foregoing arrangements the projections provide adequate clearance between the band and the neck of the bottle so that such may be readily flushed and cleaned of any foreign matter which may lodge therein. This is a decided advantage in maintaining optimum sanitary conditions and is important particularly where the containers are used for dispensing milk.

A further advantage of all of the foregoing forms is that the band may be readily applied with greater facility and without the need for extraneous equipment to force the band over the upper roll. Additionally, the flexibility resulting from the projections tends to make the band assume an elliptical shape and thereby move the projections inwardly whenever the handle is raised to lift the container. Such action makes the projections grip the neck of the container more firmly and imparts greater stability in the carrying operation.

An additional advantage is that the handles are readily adapted for attachment to containers having smaller necks than those previously employed.

We claim:

1. A handle for use in carrying a container of the type including a reduced diameter neck having a bumper roll, said handle being made from an elastomeric material and comprising an endless band adapted to encircle the neck of the container below the bumper roll thereof, a bail made integral with said band and providing a unitary structure therewith, the bail having a pair of arms made integral at one end with said band and joined together at their other end by a cross-piece which defines a finger grip portion, the bail extending normally laterally of the band when mounted on the container and adapted to be pivoted into a generally vertically oriented position for carrying said container, and at least one pair of oppositely disposed, generally arcuate projections made integral with and extending radially interiorally of the band, each of said projections being disposed adjacent the respective connecting juncture of the arms with said band and adapted for abutting engagement with the confronting surface of the neck portion of said container immediately below the bumper roll, whereby upward pivotal movement of the bail flexes the band and urges the projections into a tight gripping engagement with the confronting surfaces of the neck of said container.

2. A handle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the band is generally circular in shape, the inside diameter of said band intermediate said projections being larger than the maximum outside dimension of the neck of said container beneath the bumper roll, but being less than the maximum outside dimension of the bumper roll.

3. A handle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the band is made from a solid skirt-like portion which is frusto-conical in shape, said projections comprising upwardlyextensions of said skirt-like portion.

4. A container handle according to claim 1 wherein the band and hail are molded integrally and the bail is pre-shaped when molded to assume a normal position References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,759,756 8/1956 Sikora 215l0l X 3,000,527 9/1961 Jennings et al. 215100 3,186,544 6/1965 Curry et al. 2l5-l00 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

R. PESHOCK, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A HANDLE FOR USE IN CARRYING A CONTAINER OF THE TYPE INCLUDING A REDUCED DIAMETER NECK HAVING A BUMPER ROLL, SAID HANDLE BEING MADE FROM AN ELASTOMERIC MATERIAL AND COMPRISING AN ENDLESS BAND ADAPTED TO ENCIRCLE THE NECK OF THE CONTAINER BELOW THE BUMPER ROLL THEREOF, A BAIL MADE INTEGRAL WITH SAID BAND AND PROVIDING A UNITARY STRUCTURE THEREWITH, THE BAIL HAVING A PAIR OF ARMS MADE INTEGRAL AT ONE END WITH SAID BAND AND JOINED TOGETHER AT THEIR OTHER END BY A CROSS-PIECE WHICH DEFINES A FINGER GRIP PORTION, THE BAIL EXTENDING NORMALLY LATERALLY OF THE BAND WHEN MOUNTED ON THE CONTAINER AND ADAPTED TO BE PIVOTED INTO A GENERALLY VERTICALLY ORIENTED POSITION FOR CARRYING SAID CONTAINER, AND AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF OPPOSITELY DISPOSED, GENERALLY ARCUATE PROJECTIONS MADE INTEGRAL WITH AND EXTENDING RADIALLY INTERIORALLY OF THE BAND, EACH OF SAID PROJECTIONS BEING DISPOSED ADJACENT THE RESPECTIVE CONNECTING JUNCTURE OF THE ARMS WITH SAID BAND AND ADAPTED FOR ABUTTING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CONFRONTING SURFACE OF THE NECK PORTION OF SAID CONTAINER IMMEDIATELY BELOW THE BUMPER ROLL, WHEREBY UPWARD PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF THE BALL FLEXES THE BAND AND URGES THE PROJECTIONS INTO A TIGHT GRIPPING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CONFRONTING SURFACES OF THE NECK OF SAID CONTAINER. 